On The Fritz

Yesterday I tried and tried to write a post.  Honest I did.  But Blogger had other ideas.  My guess is the worker bees were busy updating code behind the scenes and that's why every time I tried I got a 'Blogger Unavailable' error message.  So much for my plans.

So here's the post you should have gotten yesterday.  I am a knitting machine, cranking out hats like I've got a deadline or something.  Wait -- I do have a deadline of sorts -- Fall shows.  I finished knitting the second hat using the Jarbo yarn I bought Saturday after getting my hair cut ~~

I called this one Tutti Frutti because it reminded me of the gum I used to buy when I was a kid and would ride my bike up Gratiot Avenue to the party store (whoops -- don't tell Mom!).  Here's a view of the top of the hat, using the double D decrease again ~~

Never one to be idle, I cast on another hat using another skein I bought Saturday of Malabrigo Chunky Wool ~~

I had this much finished when I tried to post last night ~~

I finished the hat on my bus ride home from work tonight but don't have a photo to prove it.  My knitting friend Harriet will have to vouch for me.  I cast on another hat tonight with yet another skein of Jarbo and should finish it tomorrow evening so maybe, just maybe I'll show it to you then!

I am keeping a low profile, fearful that Niecy Nash will show up at my door, hearing I have the messiest house in America ~~

I know, I know -- how could this happen??!!  Chaos has taken hold of my craft room, once again.  It's disturbing, isn't it?  I've got to get a handle on it this week!  As I get closer to show time it only gets worse.  I knit a skein from this cube, then that cube, and what the heck should I do with all the scraps?  I'm constantly auditioning yarn for a project.  That's why it's so great to find new yarn that screams 'knit me first'.  Yes, I realize that's not a good reason.  I'm finishing up knitting the newest acquisitions -- kind of the FIFO LIFO (had it wrong the first time, must have been the Stella) rule from accounting, if you know what I mean.  OK, that's a stretch.  I realize that, too.

Have a great week!

Wine Tasting Tips

On the heels of yesterday's posting, here's a great post from Serious Eats (in my blogroll) that gives you great tips for attending a wine tasting.  You can really ruin the experience, not to mention end up with a killer headache, if you don't have a clue how to get through the tasting.

Wine, Wool, and Flowers

Yesterday after a particularly challenging day at work I rewarded myself with a fabulous Italian wine tasting held at Cloverleaf in Royal Oak, put on by Cantoro Italian Market.  My friend Eddie picked me up (excellent since I wouldn't have to drive home....) and we got there at 6:30 pm.  We didn't leave until 9:45 pm so you know we had a good time!

I started by filling a plate up with chunks of Parmigiana Reggiano, salami, mozzarella balls, and some sort of tiramisu bars.  It's always good to have something in your belly before you begin imbibing at a wine tasting.  I tried several different wines including a couple of different Moscato d'Astis, a Barolo, and a couple of Amarones.  Where else am I going to get to drink $60/bottle wine?  I took full advantage of the selections available from the 7 or so different distributors but haven't put in an order, just yet.  It stormed while we were there but cleared up before it was time to head home.  It got to be sooooooo loud there -- the building has a really high ceiling and you know how people talk louder the more the have to drink.  It was actually a respite in the ladies restroom -- when I came out of the bathroom it just seemed soooooo loud in the main room.

Today I got caught up around the house -- laundry, weeding, Costco run.  I also got a haircut -- first one in 6 1/2 months.  I kept the length but had it trimmed up a bit and thinned out a lot.  It feels better.  Kyle spent about 25 minutes trying to dry it straight.  Short of using cement on it, it's going to curl right back up again but he just wanted to see how it looks straight.  It will probably go right back to curly tomorrow.

I finished knitting another hat, this time using Malabrigo Chunky ~~

Purples are so hard to photograph -- this yarn is really pretty.  The hat was a plain knit because I wanted to showcase the yarn ~~

I wish you could see it in person -- I really love the colors.  I finished another hat earlier this week using a heavy sock yarn by Jarbo called Raggi Print.  The colors are a mix of blues, white and grey and again I knit a plain pattern to show off the yarn.  It was a very interesting yarn -- I looked forward to seeing what color would appear next as I knit it up.

And here's a bit of a close up ~~

I think it makes a good uni-sex hat.  I picked up three more skeins of the same yarn in different colors today, plus another skein of the Malabrigo Chunky in a brown/blue palate.  I need to keep cranking out the hats for my fall shows.

Out in my front flower beds my Primrose are in bloom ~~

They look like such happy flowers -- they add a great touch of color to a blah side of the flower bed.

Well I'm off to cast on another hat before heading to bed.  It's raining pretty good outside and that usually helps me get to sleep.  I've got rug hooking to get to tomorrow -- hoping to get a rug done, finally!

Italian Wine Tasting Tonight

'nuff said.  More tomorrow.

Have you heard of Groupon?

A few weeks ago I found Groupon.com.  I think I learned of it through Worldstart.com's daily emails.  For those who don't know about it, you go to their website and see if your town (or nearby big town) is on their list.  You can then sign up to receive daily offers that can be super savers.  Don't tell my Mom but I got a $25 box of chocolates from a super shop for only $10.  Today I bought a $60 massage for $30 -- I so need this!  Check it out for yourself, Detroit area people go here.

Sometimes the offers are for things I can't really use or are too far away but sometimes they are spot on!

Robbed !!

No, not that kind.  Did you watch the Detroit Tigers-Cleveland Indians game tonight??  I did and I witnessed a robbery!  We nearly had a perfect game except for a terrible call by the first base umpire.  Oh, how I wish we had instant replay in baseball.  For the very last out of a perfect game the runner for Cleveland was called safe when he was out.  Numerous replays from various angles proved it.  It was unbelievable.  How disappointing for the pitcher Armando Galarraga and rest of the Tigers team.

Too Darn Cute!

Janet, the winner of my last giveaway, let me know that the kit arrived on Saturday and being the busy beaver that she is, she made herself a fabulous bag.  I know -- already??!!  You need to check it out on her blog.  It is so darn cute!